Recovery Wrench Project exists to repair more than vehicles—we help repair lives. Our mission is to empower individuals recovering from addiction to rebuild stability, responsibility, and purpose through reliable transportation, hands-on automotive skill training, mentorship, and accountability.

We believe that long-term recovery requires more than treatment alone. Many individuals relapse or return to the justice system because they lack reliable transportation, practical job skills, and a supportive environment that reinforces sobriety and personal responsibility.

Recovery Wrench Project addresses these barriers by repairing donated vehicles, teaching real-world mechanical skills, and connecting participants with mentors who have lived experience in recovery. Through structured participation, employment support, and a recovery-centered community, individuals gain the tools necessary to maintain jobs, support their families, and build a future they can be proud of.

Our goal is simple but powerful: keep people working, keep them sober, and prove that meaningful change is possible.

 Changing Lives One Vehicle at a Time 

How Recovery Wrench Project Works

Recovery Wrench Project is built around a simple idea:
repairing vehicles while helping people rebuild their lives.

Through donated vehicles, volunteer support, and hands-on mechanical work, we help individuals in recovery overcome transportation barriers while gaining valuable skills and community support.

Step 1: Vehicle Donation or Repair Need

Community members donate vehicles or individuals in recovery request assistance with a vehicle that is preventing them from getting to work, treatment, recovery meetings, court obligations, or family responsibilities.

Each situation is reviewed to determine the best way to help.

Step 2: Assessment and Planning

The vehicle or repair need is evaluated to determine what parts, labor, and resources are required.

When possible, the project focuses on repairs that restore safe and reliable transportation while keeping costs manageable through donated parts, volunteer labor, and community partnerships.

Step 3: Repair and Skill Development

Repairs are completed with the help of volunteers and individuals who are learning hands-on automotive skills.

This process not only restores vehicles but also creates opportunities for individuals in recovery to develop confidence, accountability, and practical mechanical experience.

Step 4: Transportation Restored

Once repairs are complete, the vehicle is returned to service or placed with an individual in recovery who needs reliable transportation.

Access to dependable transportation helps individuals maintain employment, attend treatment and recovery meetings, comply with court requirements, and continue rebuilding their lives.

Step 5: Paying It Forward

Recovery Wrench Project encourages participants and supporters to give back whenever possible by volunteering, mentoring others, or supporting future repairs so the cycle of recovery and community support continues.

Our Impact

Changing Lives One Vehicle at a Time

Recovery Wrench Project was created to remove transportation barriers for individuals rebuilding their lives in recovery. Reliable transportation can be the difference between maintaining employment, attending treatment programs, meeting court obligations, and continuing the journey of recovery.

Even in its early stages, Recovery Wrench Project has already made a meaningful impact in the community.

Supporting a working mother with a newborn

Volunteer repair work helped restore transportation for a mother who needed reliable transportation to maintain employment and childcare for her newborn. After one of her vehicles was repaired, she donated another vehicle which was later repaired and provided to a woman in sober living who needed transportation for work and recovery meetings.

Helping a mother working toward reunification with her children

A vehicle donated through Oxford House was repaired for a mother working toward reunification with her children through DCFS. Reliable transportation allowed her to attend drug court in another county, maintain employment, attend recovery meetings, and pick up her children from their caregiver for visits at her home.

Supporting recovery and family stability

Repair work was completed on a vehicle belonging to a woman living in Oxford House who shared the vehicle with her daughter. The repair allowed her to attend recovery meetings and Oxford House obligations while ensuring her daughter had reliable transportation to school.

Helping individuals stay connected to recovery meetings

Volunteer labor was donated to replace an alternator for a participant active in NA/AA peer support groups, allowing him to maintain reliable transportation to meetings.

Supporting a couple in recovery attending drug court

Repair work was also completed for a couple one of which was living in an Oxford House located in a county without public transportation. Their shared vehicle had bumper damage that prevented it from being safely driven. After the repair, they regained transportation to attend drug court, recovery meetings, and work.

Get Involved

Be Part of the Mission

Recovery Wrench Project is built on community support. There are many ways individuals and organizations can help remove transportation barriers for people rebuilding their lives in recovery.

Donate a Vehicle

If you have a vehicle you no longer need, consider donating it to Recovery Wrench Project. Donated vehicles are repaired and provided to individuals in recovery who need reliable transportation to get to work, treatment programs, recovery meetings, and court obligations.

Volunteer Mechanical Skills

If you have automotive experience or mechanical skills, you can volunteer your time to help repair vehicles and assist people working to rebuild their lives.

Support the Mission

Community members and businesses can support the project through parts donations, partnerships, or sponsorships that help expand transportation assistance for individuals in recovery.

Together, we can remove transportation barriers and help people move forward.